What is the steel can in a brushed motor?

It is both the housing and the magnetic return path (yoke) for the ferrite magnets, so its wall thickness and steel grade affect torque as well as strength.

Low-carbon deep-drawing steels such as SPCC, SPCD or 08Al, typically 0.8–2 mm thick, often with zinc or nickel plating for corrosion resistance.

What should I check on incoming cans?

Inner diameter and roundness where the magnets sit, bearing-pocket dimensions, wall-thickness uniformity after drawing, burrs at the open end and plating thickness.

Raw material

Deep-drawn Steel Motor Can

Blanking & deep drawing → Piercing, flanging & trimming → Cleaning & plating

✓ Expert reviewed All content on this page has been reviewed by a senior motor engineer.

Process flow

3 main process steps, with the equipment and instruments used at each step, their main suppliers, and the technical control points.

1
Blanking & deep drawing
Low-carbon steel strip is blanked and drawn into a can in several stages.
⚙ Deep-drawing / Transfer PressAutomated
International
AIDA Engineering, Schuler
Mainland China
Yangli Group
Technical control points:
- ▪Wall thinning — Within the drawing limit (e.g. ≤ 10–15%)Check: Wall-thickness micrometer; first piece and sampling
- ▪Inner diameter and roundness — Per drawingCheck: Bore gauge; first piece and sampling
2
Piercing, flanging & trimming
Bushing boss, vent and mounting holes, tabs and the open edge are formed in the same transfer or progressive die.
⚙ Deep-drawing / Transfer PressAutomated
International
AIDA Engineering, Schuler
Mainland China
Yangli Group
⚙ CMM, Roundness & Runout GaugesTest instrumentSemi-automaticManual
International
MitutoyoDongguan, HexagonGuangzhou, MarpossShenzhen+1 more →
Mainland China
To be added
Technical control points:
- ▪Bushing boss concentricity — Per drawingCheck: Gauge or CMM; first piece and sampling
- ▪Hole positions and burrs — Per drawingCheck: Gauge and visual check
3
Cleaning & plating
Cans are degreased and zinc or nickel plated (or blackened) for corrosion protection.
⚙ Electroplating / Coating LineAutomated
International
To be added
Mainland China
To be added
Technical control points:
- ▪Plating thickness — Per specification (e.g. Zn 5–8 µm)Check: XRF; each batch
- ▪Corrosion resistance — Neutral salt spray hours per specificationCheck: ISO 9227; periodic

Incoming inspection & approval tests

Inner diameter, roundness and wall thicknessPer drawing; bore gauge and wall-thickness micrometer
Concentricity of the bushing boss to the borePer drawing; CMM sampling
Plating thickness and corrosion resistanceXRF thickness; neutral salt spray ISO 9227 (hours per spec)
Steel grade and magnetic propertiesMill certificate (e.g. DC04 / SPCC low-carbon steel)

Buyer FAQ

What is the steel can in a brushed motor?: It is both the housing and the magnetic return path (yoke) for the ferrite magnets, so its wall thickness and steel grade affect torque as well as strength.
Which steel is used?: Low-carbon deep-drawing steels such as SPCC, SPCD or 08Al, typically 0.8–2 mm thick, often with zinc or nickel plating for corrosion resistance.
What should I check on incoming cans?: Inner diameter and roundness where the magnets sit, bearing-pocket dimensions, wall-thickness uniformity after drawing, burrs at the open end and plating thickness.